Being made redundant.

[Italy2]

So this may be a bit of a long one and actually probably not something anyone can offer any insight into but it is really playing on my mind at the moment and hoping you might be able to offer another perspective or if you work in HR be able to advise on how things are worked out.

So I started my job in March just before lockdown and luckily I have worked all the way through. There are 3 on our team. Me, a senior manager and a director (I am lowest level of the 3 of us). The senior manager has been on furlough since April.


I am convinced that we will not go back to a team of 3 as we are contracted into a client who pays a management fee for us and they are currently paying a reduced fee. They have already made mass redundancies across their business so I cannot see them increasing our management fee again now that we have managed for 6 months with just 2 of us.


I have spoken to my boss about my worries that it will be a matter of “last in, first” out but both she and another manager have said they love working with me and they would fight to keep me. But I just don’t know if the business will see it that way? If they let the senior manager go they will have to pay her redundancy and a lengthy noticed period as she has worked there for a long time but for me they just have to give me a week’s notice and no redundancy which they could easily do.

I keep trying to work out if it goes to consultation/notice and they make the decision for the end of furlough then they will have to tell the senior manager her job is at risk within the next 2 weeks (she’s been with them 5 years so would need 5 weeks notice). Is that right? But if they did that I wouldn’t necessarily even know.

I guess I am just trying to prepare myself for the worst but it is massively triggering my anxiety- I’m not sleeping very well and waking up with migraines every day.
Just don’t know if I am better to look for a new role now - be proactive? But I also don’t want to give up on this role as they stuck by me by keeping me on through lockdown....

Sorry that you are in this situation but I don't think it will hurt for you to look for a new role? You could just not take the new opportunity if they offered and stick with your job but if you do get made redundant then you can take up the new opportunity. I don't think you are not being loyal to your job if you are looking out for yourself. No one wants to be jobless and in debt.

 

[Meh]

Sorry to hear you’re going through this.
How many people are in your UK company? Are they making more than 20 people redundant? Sounds as if they have not followed proper consultation exercises.

 

[Blahblahahaaa77]

Well, we found out on Friday that we were at risk, got an outcome letter on Monday but my ‘consultation’ meeting is tomorrow so I’m super confused What are we going to talk about when I already have my outcome?

 

[caitlinbullen]

I can't help with the legalities (but there seem to be others on here that can) but just wanted to say that I was made redundant years ago and whilst I was shocked and upset at the time, honestly it was the best thing! I sent my CV to a local recruitment company and walked into a similar role but with a much better company ethos and better pay.

With hindsight it was a great outcome but it felt stressful at the time. Hang in there. If you're good at your job things will come right I'm sure. Let us know how you get on!

 

[Hello Kitty]

The prospect of being made redundant always scares me because I get the feeling my employer doesn’t care who you are or how hard you work, they just do what is best for them. I get that’s how business works but they don’t care about us at all.

I work at head office for a retail business, a couple of years ago they got rid of about 6 managers just like that. They turned up to work on a normal day to be told their job didn’t exist any more. By the end of the day all their access and accounts had been deleted.

Team Leader A was told that a second team leader role was being created on her team. So they moved Team Leader B into this role and A&B worked together for about a month I think. At which point Team Leader A was one of the above that was suddenly made redundant after 20+ years service, most people liked her and she was a great manager. So Team Leader B was clearly sneakily brought in as a replacement, she only had a couple of years service. She’s still in the role now but god knows why, she is known to be lazy and delegates pretty much all of her work to those below her. It was shocking how they treated A.

This sounds very similar to my old job, they done everything you have mentioned and more - I won't go into it as it will definitely give my identity away!

 

[Paradisefalls]

So this may be a bit of a long one and actually probably not something anyone can offer any insight into but it is really playing on my mind at the moment and hoping you might be able to offer another perspective or if you work in HR be able to advise on how things are worked out.

So I started my job in March just before lockdown and luckily I have worked all the way through. There are 3 on our team. Me, a senior manager and a director (I am lowest level of the 3 of us). The senior manager has been on furlough since April.


I am convinced that we will not go back to a team of 3 as we are contracted into a client who pays a management fee for us and they are currently paying a reduced fee. They have already made mass redundancies across their business so I cannot see them increasing our management fee again now that we have managed for 6 months with just 2 of us.


I have spoken to my boss about my worries that it will be a matter of “last in, first” out but both she and another manager have said they love working with me and they would fight to keep me. But I just don’t know if the business will see it that way? If they let the senior manager go they will have to pay her redundancy and a lengthy noticed period as she has worked there for a long time but for me they just have to give me a week’s notice and no redundancy which they could easily do.

I keep trying to work out if it goes to consultation/notice and they make the decision for the end of furlough then they will have to tell the senior manager her job is at risk within the next 2 weeks (she’s been with them 5 years so would need 5 weeks notice). Is that right? But if they did that I wouldn’t necessarily even know.

I guess I am just trying to prepare myself for the worst but it is massively triggering my anxiety- I’m not sleeping very well and waking up with migraines every day.
Just don’t know if I am better to look for a new role now - be proactive? But I also don’t want to give up on this role as they stuck by me by keeping me on through lockdown....

 

[Lollipop2123]

There doesn’t have to be a consultation period. They do however have to be able to show why you were chosen and not a colleague.
Just make sure your redundancy is paid out correctly. Here is a link https://www.gov.uk/calculate-your-redundancy-pay

Here is also a link to say what procedures they should be following. https://www.gov.uk/redundancy-your-rights

I think you should just take some time to wrap your head round it. It must be upsetting but I’m sure if you have a good track record you’ll find a job soon.
Make sure when you go into meetings that you are super polite. Don’t loose your temper. And record the conversations. Just in case you need to go to a tribunal

Thanks for this. Really helpful x

Thanks for this. Really helpful x

Sorry if I'm being thick. But that link says that there should be a consultation period. It also says that there should be a notice period - one week’s notice for each year if employed between 2 and 12 years.

It's all a bit confusing isn't it

 

[OnlyHereForTheLolz]

Thanks for this. Really helpful x


Sorry if I'm being thick. But that link says that there should be a consultation period. It also says that there should be a notice period - one week’s notice for each year if employed between 2 and 12 years.

It's all a bit confusing isn't it

The meeting will probably be the consultation but with Cov19 things are not as strict due to what is happening in terms of the economy and how businesses are affected.
The notice are sometimes just paid out. So if they are not making you work it express that you know it needs to be paid ontop of the redundancy package. However if they make you an offer consider it as you might not want to be stuck there for another few months trying to hit targets. You will probably want to go out and get a job straight away

 

[OnlyHereForTheLolz]

Sorry I’ve been super quiet since I started this thread!

Just an update.... they kept 3 out of us 8 of us on and promised to pay us 2 months as a ‘redundancy package’ ... they then said that they couldn’t remember saying that and were giving us nothing (I was furious!), luckily I had recorded the meeting on my phone so I sent it to the CEO and today I got paid the full 2 months and got an apology from the VP of Sales .... it was just a bank transfer and we’ve had no letter or any form of documentation to say we’ve actually been made redundant but I’m just happy with a little bit of money! I’m hoping it’s then end to the chapter!

On a more positive note, the jobs market seems to be much more fruitful than I expected, so if the worst does happen there are many more opportunities out there!

I'm so pleased for you! This is why I always say record conversations and be super polite. Because you can use it against them and your' side will be clean!

So this may be a bit of a long one and actually probably not something anyone can offer any insight into but it is really playing on my mind at the moment and hoping you might be able to offer another perspective or if you work in HR be able to advise on how things are worked out.

So I started my job in March just before lockdown and luckily I have worked all the way through. There are 3 on our team. Me, a senior manager and a director (I am lowest level of the 3 of us). The senior manager has been on furlough since April.


I am convinced that we will not go back to a team of 3 as we are contracted into a client who pays a management fee for us and they are currently paying a reduced fee. They have already made mass redundancies across their business so I cannot see them increasing our management fee again now that we have managed for 6 months with just 2 of us.


I have spoken to my boss about my worries that it will be a matter of “last in, first” out but both she and another manager have said they love working with me and they would fight to keep me. But I just don’t know if the business will see it that way? If they let the senior manager go they will have to pay her redundancy and a lengthy noticed period as she has worked there for a long time but for me they just have to give me a week’s notice and no redundancy which they could easily do.

I keep trying to work out if it goes to consultation/notice and they make the decision for the end of furlough then they will have to tell the senior manager her job is at risk within the next 2 weeks (she’s been with them 5 years so would need 5 weeks notice). Is that right? But if they did that I wouldn’t necessarily even know.

I guess I am just trying to prepare myself for the worst but it is massively triggering my anxiety- I’m not sleeping very well and waking up with migraines every day.
Just don’t know if I am better to look for a new role now - be proactive? But I also don’t want to give up on this role as they stuck by me by keeping me on through lockdown....

Tbh with you I think your job will be fine They tend to make cuts from the top most of the time. I have a feeling one of your superiors will get the chop as they are probably earning a lot more than you, and you are doing the same job they are

 

[Blahblahahaaa77]

My consultation has just ended and have been made redundant, The consultation process was an absolute shambles and the way they handled things made me not as upset about leaving.

its unfortunate you are in this position and unfortunately you are just a number sometimes. Wishing you the best of luck in your future jobs, hopefully you can go onto better things.

If you don’t mind me asking, how long did the process take?